RNC vice chair solicits criticism on 2012

By Alexander Burns

11/13/12 04:03 PM EST

A vice chairman of the Republican National Committee has put out a call for feedback on the 2012 race, writing in a memo to the RNC that the party’s robust fundraising was clearly not enough to produce victories for the GOP on Nov. 6.

Louisiana GOP Chairman Roger Villere doesn’t rebuke his own party in the message, but he does acknowledge that Republicans came up significantly short last week when they could have made much greater gains.

“Our fundraising this cycle was impressive, and Mitt Romney and our Senate candidates matched their competitors nearly dollar for dollar,” Villere writes. “What's also true is that Republicans cannot continue to lose election after election to far-left candidates. The election results tell us we've not done enough to reach out to Hispanics, African-Americans, Asian-Americans, women and young people. To be successful as a movement and a Party we must work harder and do a better job appealing to these important communities while standing by our principles as Republicans.”

The Louisianan asks his fellow committee members for their input: “Through my role as vice-chair of the Republican National Committee, I'm committed to helping find solutions to the important challenges ahead and ask for your help as well. Please pass along your observations and share any recommendations on how we can improve our efforts.”

The RNC is going to be one of the first places where a formal debate about the future of the Republican Party can take place, when the 168-member committee gathers to select a new chairman. The current chairman, Reince Priebus, has not said definitively whether he will seek another term, but members of the committee expect him to run again.

Villere, who ran unsuccessfully for RNC co-chair in 2011, is not trying to knock anybody out of their job at the committee, said a source familiar with his thinking. But the state chairman is evidently eager to stir up a conversation about where the RNC went off course — particularly, the source said, in the area of the GOP’s field operations.

Villere is not urging moderation, and he emphasizes: “Compromising our principles will not grow our Party. It will divide it. Remember, the pundits and reporters now advocating these things voted for Obama! So why are they giving us advice?”

The full memo is after the jump.

To: RNC Members From: Roger Villere, Vice Chair Re: 2012 Election

Once again, the Republican Party was very successful throughout the South, as we expanded our reach and influence in state capitals across the region that remains the undisputed base of the GOP.

I know there are many questions and concerns as a result of Tuesday's elections, as I've already heard from and spoken with many of you. I share your concerns and I am committed to finding out where our efforts came up short and why it happened.

There are still many unknowns from the election, but we need to come together and figure out how to move forward in a constructive way that benefits the Republican Party.

First, let's start with what we do know. Tuesday brought important Republican victories across the country in races on the state and national level, including wins that established historic GOP super majorities in several state legislatures and wrested control of governor's offices formerly held by Democrats. These are all great victories, and the GOP should be proud of our efforts.

We also know that we didn't lose the presidential race or the key Senate contests due to a lack of money. Our fundraising this cycle was impressive, and Mitt Romney and our Senate candidates matched their competitors nearly dollar for dollar.

What's also true is that Republicans cannot continue to lose election after election to far-left candidates. The election results tell us we've not done enough to reach out to Hispanics, African-Americans, Asian -Americans , women and young people. To be successful as a movement and a Party we must work harder and do a better job appealing to these important communities while standing by our principles as Republicans. And let me be perfectly clear: Compromising our principles will not grow our Party. It will divide it. Remember, the pundits and reporters now advocating these things voted for Obama! So why are they giving us advice? We must stand by our belief in limited government, less taxes and a strong national defense.As President Reagan said "Government is not the solution to the challenges we now face, it is the problem."

Through my role as vice-chair of the Republican National Committee, I'm committed to helping find solutions to the important challenges ahead and ask for your help as well. Please pass along your observations and share any recommendations on how we can improve our efforts.

Over the coming days and weeks we will see news reports and hear anecdotal evidence about why we lost the White House and what it means for Republicans moving forward. At the end of the day, however, the GOP and Republicans are responsible for learning from our mistakes and making this Party bigger and better than it has ever been. I truly believe we can and will get that done.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9)